Multifunctional Ashtray

ABSTRACT

A multifunctional ashtray in the shape of a mug with a mug handle wherein the handle includes a lighter opening sized to receive a cigarette lighter. A multifunctional ashtray with a receptacle for receiving ashes and butts wherein the is size receptacle allows storage of unsmoked cigarettes therein and the opening includes a plurality of vertically extending ridges on an interior side of its circumferential receptacle side wall adapted to hold a cigarette accessible to easy removal when said cigarette is stored within the cup opening. A multifunctional ashtray with a receptacle for receiving ashes with an associated removable top cover for closing the receptacle when the device is not being used as an ashtray, the top cover being magnetically securable to the top end of the receptacle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to design patent application no______, for a design for the Interior Surfaces of an Ashtray, filed by same inventor concurrently herewith, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Statement of Federally Sponsored Research or Development

Not applicable.

The Names of the Parties to a Joint Research Agreement

Not applicable.

Reference to a “Sequence Listing

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to improvements in ashtrays.

Although reduced tobacco addiction and nicotine vaping products have reduced use of tobacco cigarettes, there is a continuing market for tobacco cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos. Further there is growing market for tobacco-free herbal smoking products, including in the growing number of States where it has been legalized, marijuana-based smoking products. Typically, such herbal smoking products also produce ashes and so a concomitant need for ashtray devices. Ashtrays for tobacco cigarettes frequently include one or more notches for holding a burning end of the cigarette over the ash receptacle hands-free while the smoker attends to tasks requiring use of the hands or simply to allow the smoker to space inhalations of smoke according to their desired timing.

Prior art pertaining to closable portable ashtrays, include the following references: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,571,003, 2,626,613, 5,205,299, US 2004/0216753, US 2005/0236005, US 2015/0296880, US D 616178. In addition to some of the above. US D 863668 shows a smoking accessory with compartments for holding cigarettes and lighters.

Cigarette holders that hold tobacco cigarettes and provide a mouthpiece for the smoker have been known since at least the time of former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,569, FIG. 14 , there is shown a cigarette holder that magnetically attaches to an ashtray cigarette support structure. Other references that show cigarette holders include U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,649; US 2012/0318284, US D 492065, US D 586952.

Although smokers sometimes extinguish cigarettes or cigars in beverage containers such as their coffee mugs, putting out a smoke in someone's beverage is generally thought of as uncouth. It is not believed that a mug shape provides a suitable model for a design of an improved ashtray.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In some embodiments the invention pertains to an ashtray device in the shape of a mug comprising a top end; a bottom side; a circumferential receptacle side wall, the circumferential receptacle side wall at the top end defining a cup opening, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the bottom defining a receptacle for receiving ashes and butts; and a mug handle wherein the handle includes a lighter opening sized to receive a cigarette lighter. The mug shape provides a convenient form easily accommodated in work and home environments and the handle, in addition to functioning as a housing for the lighter provides a conventional advantage of mugs namely that they can be held and moved about with only one or two fingers.

In some embodiments the invention pertains to an ashtray device comprising a top end; a bottom side; a circumferential receptacle side wall, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the top side defining an opening, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the bottom defining a receptacle for receiving ashes and butts wherein said receptacle is sized to allow storage of cigarettes therein and the opening includes a plurality of vertically extending ridges on an interior side of said circumferential receptacle side wall adapted to hold a cigarette accessible to easy removal when said cigarette is stored yithin the cup opening. Compared to cigarette accessories providing ash and cigarette storage in separate receptacles, this aspect allows use of the same receptacle to accommodate both storage functions.

In some embodiments the invention pertains to an ashtray device having a top end, bottom side, a circumferential receptacle side wall, the ashtray comprising a receptacle for receiving ashes and an associated removable top cover for closing the receptacle when the device is not being used as an ashtray wherein the top cover is magnetically securable to the top end of the receptacle. The magnetic cover allows for quick extinguishing of butts and also facilitates use as a storage device. In addition to unsmoked cigarettes, the receptacle can also store an associated cigarette holder.

Various combinations of these and other features described herein constitute further embodiments apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inventive astray device 10

FIG. 2 is a view of a device 10 with an associated cigarette lighter about to be inserted.

FIG. 2A is a view as in FIG. 2 with the lighter fully inserted

FIG. 3 is a view as in FIG. 2A with parts cutaway.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective cross-section of parts of the device 10.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inventive device 10 with an associated cover about to be attached.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of device 10 with the cover in place.

FIG. 6A is a bottom view of the ashtray cover.

FIG. 7 is a top of the device 10.

FIG. 8 is a perspective sectional view of a device 10 with a cigarette stored therein.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a cigarette mounted in an associated cigarette holder, which in turn is attached to a device 10 in position for the device 10 to collect ashes.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the cigarette holder of FIG. 9 .

FIGS. 11-14 are side sectional views of four alternative cigarette holders that can be used in the manner depicted in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 15 is a side sectional view of an alternative embodiment 110 of the invention.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail view of the device 110 of FIG. 15 .

FIG. 17 is a side view of an alternative embodiment 210 of the invention.

FIG. 18 is a side sectional view of the embodiment 210.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment 310.

FIG. 20 is a side sectional view of the embodiment 310.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an handless embodiment 410

FIG. 22 is a side sectional view of the embodiment 410.

FIGS. 19-20 show an ashtray 310 with a handle 312 modified to attach to the circumferential wall 318 at both top and bottom ends. The channel in the handle for receiving the lighter has also been modified.

FIGS. 20-21 show an ashtray 410 which has no mug handle. The ash receptacle is otherwise substantially the same as that of device 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

All published documents cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

For purposes of this invention, the term “ferromagnetic material” is to be taken as encompassing both materials in the form of a permanent magnet, regardless of composition and a those many more materials that are attracted to magnets but not attracted to themselves or each other. Alnico, ferrite, Mn—Al alloy, samarium—cobalt and neodymium—iron—boron are common materials for modern permanent magnets. Iron, nickel, and cobalt and their alloys, some alloys of rare-earth metals can be made into permanent magnets, but ordinarily are not so. All these materials are taken to be ferromagnetic. Ordinary steel and many stainless steels are not magnets but are well known to be attracted to magnets. Magnets attract when facing poles are opposite but repel each other when like poles are facing. Pails “paired for magnetic attraction” herein refers to a pair of items made of two ferromagnetic materials, at least one is a magnet and if both are magnets, their poles are oriented to attract each other.

Permanent magnets can be made of a variety of material and a variety of strengths. Moreover, compositions of permanent magnetic particles and thermoplastic resins that are extruded or molded into various shapes and magnetically aligned before solidification have well known use as for instance in the wide variety of decorative, and occasionally functional items attached to most home refrigerators.

In the FIGS. 1-9 a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. An ashtray device 10 includes a handle 12 of a shape that can be lifted with one or two fingers such as a single index finger or a combination of index and ring finger, as is conventional for beverage mugs. The device 10 includes a top end 14, a bottom side 16 and a circumferential receptacle side wall 18. The circumferential receptacle side wall 18 at the top end defines a cup opening. The bottom is closed so the circumferential receptacle side wall 18 together with the bottom side 16 defines a receptacle 48. In the invention the receptacle 48 functions for receiving ashes and butts.

In FIGS. 2-3 , there is shown the device 10, in use with a lighter 20 of a conventional design, namely Bic® Classic style lighter. This lighter has a wide distribution, and its ovoid cross-section and height are especially suited to use with the inventive lighter. It will be understood that another thin lighter can be employed. FIG. 2 shows the lighter above the mug handle, about to be inserted into the opening 22 of the inventive device. Opening 22 defines a lighter channel 23 which extends downwardly in the mug handle. FIGS. 2A and 3 show the lighter fully inserted. In some embodiments such as is shown here, the lighter striker remains accessible so even when fully inserted the lighter can be operated to light a cigarette without removing it from the mug handle. The lighter opening 22 is sized to receive the cigarette lighter. The lighter channel 23 in the handle provides has a channel depth sufficient to accommodate most of the height of the lighter but still allows for the lighter to be easily removed. Suitably the bottom of the channel is provided with a shelf 24, as can be seen in FIG. 4 , which sets the limit of insertion the lighter, but also includes an airspace 26 below the shelf to accommodate air compression as the lighter is inserted.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the device 10 comprises a main molded body 30 that may be formed by molding a suitable material. Hardened silicone rubber is a preferred material because of its high temperature resistance, toughness, and impact resilience. The top of the ashtray device is provided by an annular ring 40 formed of a ferromagnetic material. In forming a device 10, the ring 40 is affixed to a molded body 30 in a permanent manner. This may be by press fitting or adhesive joining the two, or by molding a body 30 over ring 40. The ring 40 suitably includes a top end portion 42 which defines the top of the receptacle for a device 10 and an inner wall portion 44 which forms a top portion of an inner wall of the receptacle. In some embodiments the ring 40 is formed of stainless steel.

The receptacle 48 is the mug cavity portion below ring 40 in FIG. 6 .

FIGS. 5-6A show a structure for closing the receptacle 48. FIG. 5 shows an ashtray 10 with a cover 50 above. FIG. 6 shows the cover 50 in place over the ashtray device to close the receptacle 48. The cover may suitably be close fitting enough to extinguish burning ashes or butts contained in the ash receptacle 48. In some embodiments the cover comprises a ferromagnetic material and the cover 50 is paired for magnetic attraction with the ring 40 at the top end of the receptacle. FIG. 6A shows a configuration for a cover 50 which comprises a plurality of permanent magnets 51 adhered to the bottom side of the cover. The magnets 51 secure the cover to the top of the device 10 even when the device is inverted.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the receptacle can also be used to house cigarettes and/or other smoking accessories. The receptacle wall includes an inner side wall 52 of the circumferential sidewall 18 and a receptacle bottom defined by the inner side 57 of the bottom end 16. The inner sidewall 52 incorporates a plurality of vertically extending grooves 53. A loose unsmoked cigarette 56 stands in a partially upright position making it easy to identify, grasp and remove. A finger put into the receptacle and rotating blindly, will encounter the cigarette without knocking it away. To further facilitate keeping the cigarette in this partially upright position, the inner side 57 of the bottom end 16 is optionally provided with a raised ridge 58 to limit radial travel of the lower end of the cigarette 56.

Referring to the top view FIG. 7 , the inner side 52 of circumferential wall 18 has a multi-pointed star appearance because the grooves 53 each have two edges. Three edged grooves could be used in which case the cross-section at the level shown in FIG. 7 could have a gear-tooth appearance. Still further, it should be understood that the number of such vertical grooves can be varied. Also, the spacing around the inner wall does not need to be symmetrical to effectively engage a cigarette for grasping and removal.

FIG. 9 shows a cigarette 62, mounted in an associated cigarette holder 60. The cigarette holder 60 is removably attached to the top 42 of device 10. The cigarette holder 60 keeps a burning cigarette, in position for the device 10 to collect ashes falling, FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the cigarette holder 60. It is an open tapered tube of a material such as silicone rubber or thermoplastic elastomer formed over a ferromagnetic element 61. The ferromagnetic element is paired for magnetic attraction with the ring 40 at the top of device 10. When the ring 40 is formed of a non-magnet, such as stainless steel, the ferromagnetic element 61 may suitably a permanent magnet of a material such as Alnico, ferrite, Mn—Al alloy, samarium—cobalt or neodymium—iron—boron. The ferromagnetic element 61 is a bar embedded in the cigarette holder 60 by overmolding. The cigarette holder 60 has a mouthpiece end 62 and a cigarette receiving end 63. Cigarette holder 60 includes a inner channel 64 for conducting smoke from a cigarette inserted into the cigarette receiving end 63 to the smoker's mouth.

FIGS. 11-14 illustrate alternate cigarette holder designs. The cigarette holders, 70, 80, 90, and 95 comprise ferromagnetic elements, 71, 81, 91 and 96, respectively. Each cigarette holder is an open tubular body. The respective ferromagnetic elements 71, 81, 91 and 96 are paired for magnetic attraction to the with the ring 40 at the top of device 10. In FIG. 11 the ferromagnetic element 71 is a tapered tube mounted in the cigarette holder 70. In FIG. 12 the ferromagnetic element 81 is a bar magnet mounted in a plastic ring 85 which surrounds the cigarette holder 80. In FIG. 13 the ferromagnetic element 91 is a a tapered tube mounted on the exterior surface of the cigarette holder 90. In FIG. 14 the ferromagnetic element 96 forms the exterior of the mouthpiece of the cigarette holder 95

FIGS. 15-16 depict an alternative ashtray device 110 within the scope of the invention. Device 110 is generally like device 10 except at the top end of the device. Device 110 includes a circumferential receptacle side wall 118, which can be formed of a suitable moldable material such as cured silicone rubber. Instead of a ring 40, the top end 114 comprises a circumferential ferromagnetic element 140. In some embodiments the ferromagnetic element 140 is protected by an over-molded cap 146. The cap 146 may be a cured silicone rubber or another suitable moldable thermoplastic such as a thermoplastic elastomer. The ferromagnetic element 140 may be a ring of stainless steel, ordinary steel or iron wire. Alternatively, ferromagnetic element 140 may be formed from a thermoplastic composition comprising permanent magnetic particles. The ferromagnetic element 140 is desirably paired for magnetic attraction with an associated cover and/or cigarette holder. In the case where element 140 comprises a permanent magnet, the corresponding cover and ferromagnetic elements of the associated cover and/or cigarette holder may be formed of a material such as steel or stainless steel. The ash receptacle 48 is substantially the same as the ash receptacle of device 10.

FIG. 17-18 show an ashtray 210 in which the handle 212 has a closed finger hole 215 attach to the circumferential wall 218 at both top and bottom ends.

FIGS. 19-20 show an ashtray 310 with a handle 312 also modified to attach to the circumferential wall 318 at both top and bottom ends. An opening 322 in the top end of the handle is initially larger, but then narrows to provide a lighter channel 323 in the handle.

FIGS. 20-21 show an ashtray 410 which has no mug handle. The circumferential side wall 418 is completely circular.

In the ashtray devices 210, 310, and 410, the respective receptacles 48 are substantially the same as the receptacle 48 of device 10. As with device 10 the top rings 40, can be formed of ferromagnetic material and paired for magnetic attraction to a cover and/or cigarette holder as previously described.

Although the inventive ashtrays and accessory cigarette holders can be used with manufactured tobacco cigarettes, they are considered to be especially suited to use with hand-rolled cigarettes. Hand-rolled cigarettes, often prepared by the smoker, are not commonly available in packs and so their smokers have a particular need for smoking accessories that also provide temporary storage space for small numbers of loose cigarettes. In many states of the US and in many other countries recreational us of cannabis has been legalized. Further, to avoid health problems of tobacco many smokers are turning to smoking herbal blends. Cannabis and herbal blend cigarettes frequently are hand-rolled. Also cannabis cigarettes are frequently smoked to short butts or“roaches.” Therefore, use of cigarette holders to minimize finger burns is increasingly attractive to the same smokers. Hand-rolled cigarettes frequently have tapered ends because it is difficult to evenly fill a paper that produces a cylindrical cigarette without a special rolling machine. The cigarette holders 60, 70, 80, 90 and 95 all are shown with cigarette receiving portions with interior channels that narrow moving from the cigarette receiving end toward the mouthpiece ends. The skilled person of course can make such interior channels more cylindrical if intended for use with machine-made cigarettes.

In an alternative not shown an ashtray cover may be formed of a thermoplastic material comprising permanent magnetic particles.

Alternative to the ovoid cross-sectional shape of a Bic® Classic style lighter, a lighter may have a generally cylindrical shape. For instance, cigarette shaped lighters from YUSD or Kaixin, and other cylindrical lighters available from Navpeak or Clipper, could be paired with embodiments of the invention in which the opening 22 is correspondingly modified to a circular cross-section.

While the circumferential sidewalls 18, 118, 218, 318 and 418 are shown as having a circular cross-section, it can have any polygonal shape, including specifically elliptical, triangular, tetragonal, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, and the like.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS USED

-   Ashtray devices 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 -   Handle 12, 212, 312 -   Top end 14, 114 -   Bottom side 16 -   Circumferential receptacle side wall 18, 118, 218, 318, 418 -   Lighter 20 -   Lighter opening 22, 322 -   Lighter channel 23, 373 -   Lighter channel shelf 24 -   Airspace 26 -   Main molded body 30 -   Top end annular ring 40 -   Top end portion 42 of ring 40 -   Inner wall portion 44 of ring 40 -   Ash receptacle 48 -   Ashtray cover 50 -   Ashtray cover magnets 51 -   Inner side 52 of circumferential wall 18 -   Vertically extending grooves 53 -   Loose unsmoked cigarette 56 -   inner side 57 of the bottom end 16 -   Raised bottom ridge 58 -   Mounted cigarette 62 -   Cigarette holders 60, 70, 80, 90, 95 -   Ferromagnetic cigarette holder elements 61, 81, 91, 96 -   Cigarette holder mouthpiece end 62 -   Cigarette holder cigarette receiving end 63 -   Cigarette holder inner channel 64 -   Circumferential ferromagnetic element 140 -   Cap 146 

1. An ashtray device in the shape of a mug comprising a top end; a bottom side; a circumferential receptacle side wall, the circumferential receptacle side wall at the top end defining a cup opening, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the bottom defining a receptacle for receiving ashes and butts; and a mug handle wherein the handle includes a lighter opening sized to receive a cigarette lighter.
 2. An ashtray device as in claim 1, wherein the cup opening includes a plurality of vertically extending ridges on an interior side of said at least one side wall adapted to hold a cigarette accessible to easy removal when said cigarette is stored within the receptacle.
 3. An ashtray device as in claim 1 further comprising an associated removable top cover for closing the cup opening when the device is not being used as an ashtray.
 4. An ashtray device as in claim 3 wherein the top cover is paired for magnetic attraction to the top end of the mug.
 5. An ashtray device as in claim 4 wherein the top end comprises a rim of ferromagnetic material.
 6. An ashtray device as in claim 4 wherein a ring of permanent magnetic material embedded in polymer is located at the top end of the mug.
 7. An ashtray device as in claim 1 further comprises an associated cigarette lighter sized to be received in said lighter opening.
 8. An ashtray device as in claim 3 further comprising an associated cigarette holder which is attachable to the top end of the device to hold a burning cigarette over the cup opening to receive ashes falling from said cigarette.
 9. An ashtray device as in claim 8 further comprising an associated cigarette holder which is attachable to the top end of the device to hold a burning cigarette over the cup opening to receive ashes falling from said cigarette.
 10. An ashtray device as in claim 9 wherein the associated cigarette holder comprises a mouth end adapted for insertion in a smoker's mouth and a cigarette end adapted for receipt of said cigarette, and is paired for magnetic attraction to the top end of the device with the cigarette end oriented over the cup opening.
 11. An ashtray as in claim 3 wherein the top cover provides closure tight enough to cause burning ashes or butts contained therein to be extinguished.
 12. An ashtray device as in claim 1 further comprising an associated cigarette holder which is attachable to the top end of the device to hold a burning cigarette over the cup opening to receive ashes falling from said cigarette.
 13. An ashtray device as in claim 12 wherein the associated cigarette holder is paired for magnetic attraction to the top end of the device.
 14. An ashtray device as in claim 1 wherein the handle accommodates lifting of the device with one or two fingers of one hand.
 15. An ashtray device as in claim 14 wherein the handle accommodates single finger lifting of the ashtray.
 16. An ashtray device comprising a top end; a bottom side; a circumferential receptacle side wall, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the top side defining an opening, the circumferential receptacle side wall together with the bottom defining receptacle for receiving ashes and butts wherein said receptacle is sized to allow storage of unsmoked cigarettes therein and the receptacle includes a plurality of vertically extending ridges on an interior side of said circumferential receptacle side wall adapted to hold an unsmoked cigarette accessible to easy removal when said cigarette is stored within the receptacle.
 17. An ashtray device as in claim 17 further comprising an associated removable top cover for closing the opening when the device is not being used as an ashtray.
 18. An ashtray as in claim 17 wherein the top cover is magnetically securable to the top end of the mug.
 19. An ashtray device as in claim 16 further comprising an associated cigarette holder, said cigarette holder being sized to also allow storage thereof within said receptacle, said cigarette holder further being removably attachable to the top end of the ashtray device to hold a burning cigarette over the cup opening to receive ashes falling from said cigarette.
 20. An ashtray device having a top end, bottom side, a circumferential receptacle side wall, the ashtray comprising a receptacle for receiving ashes and an associated removable top cover for closing the receptacle when the device wherein the top cover is magnetically securable to the top end of the receptacle. 